If you are new to the forums, you must register a free account before you can post. The forums have a separate registration from the rest of www.chronofhorse.com, so your log in information for one will not automatically work for the other. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Chronicle of the Horse.

“I do think we’ll win,” said Ken McPeek, trainer of Pure Fun. “She really needed her last race,” a third-place finish as the odds-on favorite four weeks ago in the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park. “And she really needs this race if we want to be a threat in the Kentucky Oaks. I know this is a bit unconventional, but she’s doing great, and we’re really looking forward to trying this.”

Banned Items on Kentucky Derby and Oaks Days
(with changes and adjustments from 2012 in ALL CAPS)

CAMCORDERS
CAMERAS WITH DETACHABLE LENSES
CAMERAS WITH LENSES MORE THAN SIX INCHES IN LENGTH
TRIPODS
PURSES LARGER THAN 12 INCHES IN ANY DIMENSION

Seriously a camera with a lens that can be changed out (I have a Cannon EOS Rebel and switch out to a longer lens) poses what problems? Never had an issue at the Blue Grass Stakes, Arlington Million, Travers Stakes, Illinois Derby etc with bringing it in ... I'm not going to knock off Barbara Livingston's trade.

Seriously a camera with a lens that can be changed out (I have a Cannon EOS Rebel and switch out to a longer lens) poses what problems? Never had an issue at the Blue Grass Stakes, Arlington Million, Travers Stakes, Illinois Derby etc with bringing it in ... I'm not going to knock off Barbara Livingston's trade.

You usually *can* bring a DSLR + lenses. They've just upped security this year due to the events in Boston.

You usually *can* bring a DSLR + lenses. They've just upped security this year due to the events in Boston.

Fully understood as they've clearly carved this out for these two days only. My point is this has zero to do with security. Nothing. Nada. A camera poses no threat. For that I find hiding this move under the guise of security as just flat out wrong.

Ah, okay, your Barbara Livingston comment is what threw me. Anyway, I agree, it's a bit absurd. I would be pretty ticked if I bought tickets and was unable to take photos. Maybe if enough people complain...

While Departing won't go to Churchill (and is only a maybe for the Preakness) he's the real deal with his effort.

I went to Hawthorne for the IL Derby today and personally was miffed that the #10 horse (Fordubai) wasn't taken down. Then again I had the trifecta, if he was DQ'd but the head-on replay clearly shows he interfered. CLEARLY he moved into the path of Siete de Oros (#12) who has bought for a mere $2,000 as a yearling at the Timonium sale in October 2011.

Winning Cause, jumped up and won the Grade 3, $200,000 Lexington with a good inside trip under Julien Leparoux. It is possible the colt will go now to the Kentucky Derby - but Pletcher wasn’t about to immediately commit the colt to the May 4 race at Churchill Downs.

The filly - Pure Fun - ended up with a dismal seventh-place and killed my wager. According to her trainer Kenny McPeek:

“I am still optimistic about going to the (Kentucky) Oaks (G1). She was blowing pretty hard coming back. She got a lot out of the race. The last two races have been tough in that she didn’t finish as well as we would have liked. I still believe we needed a race and I wanted to race her as opposed to working her. I think she will get more out of this. (Jockey) Rosie (Napravnik) said she had a clean trip but she just didn’t punch much late. (Pure Fun) was blowing pretty good.

Keeneland attendance was 32,325 (Hawthorne, if I took a guess was maybe 8,000) and as an aside the Ken/Sarah Ramsey broke the record for the most wins by an owner (record was a tie of 12) and still are loaded for bear ... they almost certainly hold a record well above 15 by the end of the meet.

[Normandy Invasion] - “The horse is really sharp right now and we worked him only a half so that’s okay,” said trainer Chad Brown. He’s definitely gotten a lot sharper since exiting the Risen Star and I was real happy with what I saw today. He galloped out good, came back with his ears up, and wasn’t even blowing.”

Orb (five furlongs in 1:02.20 according to trainer Shug McGaughey) worked in company with Puzzling, reportedly edging away near the wire while completing his final quarter in 23.80 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.80.

“I thought it was a great work. He just galloped along early, then finished up strong and galloped out well, which is what I wanted to see,” said McGaughey. “It was perfect.”

Winning Cause could become the sixth starter in the Derby for Pletcher, joining Verrazano, Revolutionary, Overanalyze, Palace Malice, and Charming Kitten. The record for most starters for a trainer in one Derby is five.

At Santa Anita, trainer Bob Baffert said that both Den’s Legacy and Super Ninety Nine were scheduled to work at Santa Anita on Wednesday, and that their works would determine whether they fly to Kentucky the following day.

Baffert said that Code West and Power Broker, both of whom traveled to Churchill Downs late last week, are both scheduled to work there on Monday.

Bob Baffert on Tuesday told Churchill Downs’s publicity department that both Super Ninety Nine and Den’s Legacy, who had been ranked 18th and 20th, respectively, on the points list for the Derby will not be entered.

“Based on their recent form, we just didn’t feel they’d be competitive enough to win,” Baffert told Churchill’s publicity department. “They’re both good horses, but we’ll look for something else down the road.

“We realize there are some other horses on the bubble with the hope of running, and we wanted to get this information out as soon as possible to make sure they’d have every opportunity to run and prepare for a start in the Derby.”

His lone entry Govenor Charlie isn't exactly impressing anyone -

So, as of now, Govenor Charlie is looking at heading into the Derby with just one work since April 11 following a compromised training schedule, far from ideal for someone like Baffert, who is known for aggressively drilling his Derby horses.

Who get's into the Derby? Well without the two Baffert horses next up would be Charming Kitten (Pletcher) and Winning Cause (Pletcher). However the latter isn't going to be entered. Next would be Code West (Baffert) but once again isn't expected to be entered but instead point to the Belmont.

"Java's War has been good since his win in the Blue Grass Stakes and there have been no problems but whether or not he goes to Royal Ascot would depend on how he is running and doing over the next several weeks," McPeek said.

"He ran an excellent race in the Blue Grass and he is a horse who certainly understands what he is supposed to do when he is out there. I would be a little bit concerned that the St James' Palace Stakes will be a little bit too short for him but the way the track is, it plays out a little further and brings stamina into play.

"I think he likes the synthetics but he has run well on everything we have put him on and his pedigree suggests turf. Mr Fipke (the owner) will ultimately decide where we run but I think it is a good option for him.

"He will definitely run in the Kentucky Derby next and his run behind Verrazano is obviously good form because he (Verrazano) is now favorite for the race. The Kentucky Derby is a different race though -- at a mile and a quarter -- anything can happen."

Churchill officials confirmed this week that the “Derby DreamBet,” prominently featured on the NBC Sports telecast of the Derby in each of the past three years, is no longer. Churchill co-sponsored the promotion with the NBC family of networks.

The online contest to earn a chance to make a $100,000 win wager was wildly received in its first year in 2010, when a Houston man named Glen Fullerton won $900,000 by placing his bet on Super Saver.

For the record, the two subsequent DreamBet wagers got progressively worse results when placed on Mucho Macho Man (third at 9-1 in 2011) and Alpha (12th at 19-1 in 2012).